Justice A S Dave, who stayed the investigation against Bhatt, also issued notices to the state government and complainant Vijaysinh Bhatti. Next hearing will be on June 22.

Bhatt approached the High Court through his lawyer I H Syed after a case was registered against him on the direction of Jamnagar court on April 21.

Bhatti had filed an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate M D Kundaliya of Jamnagar. The Magistrate asked the police to file a complaint for `wrongful restraint', `causing hurt with dangerous weapon' and `insult with intent to provoke breach of peace'.

According to Bhatti, in November 1990, when he was 40 years old, he was taken to a police station for stepping out during a curfew. Bhatt, then an ACP, allegedly beat him up.

Bhatti claims that one of his kidneys failed as a consequence. He then moved the court, but the matter remained pending. Last month, the magistrate ordered registration of complaint based on Bhatti's allegations, and a probe by Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Challenging this, Bhatt said in his petition before the High Court that when the complainant was produced before the court on January 25, 1990 after his arrest, he did not make any complaint about mistreatment, and was released on bail.

The complainant did not act for more than 21 years after filing his complaint in January 1991, Bhatt pointed out.